Disquiet and Tranquility
by Kalira69
Summary: An incautious jounin is a dead jounin; adjustments of routine must be made for a lover newly returned from a difficult mission. (Fluff.)


Waking all at once, Kakashi kept himself from reacting outwardly as he tracked the source of the disturbance that had woken him. He breathed slow and deep, his body relaxed - stillness was just as much of a warning sign to a trained onlooker as jerking into readiness.

He was pinned, trapped beneath a hot, heavy weight.

Kakashi let out a slow breath and opened his eye. "Ano. . ." He wriggled one hand free and shoved it through his hair, pushing the spiky mess back. "Aa, Gai." he said pointedly.

Gai made a low snuffling noise in his ear that sounded _remarkably_ like one of his ninken.

Kakashi snickered softly at that. He shifted a little further, still not-quite-immobilised beneath Gai's significantly more solid body. He lowered his hand from his hair and prodded Gai's shoulder. There was no way he would be able to get back to sleep this way, even knowing it was only Gai - no threat - stretched on top of him. He was too fresh off a mission where even the few moments wasted to free himself of such an obstruction could have meant his death.

"Gai," Kakashi huffed, prodding Gai firmly in the ribs, "get off me you overgrown-" He wriggled. "Wake up and _move_."

Another prod and a barely-perceptible ripple of awareness ran through Gai's body as he woke. "'Kashi?" he said fuzzily, powerful voice muted and slightly thick from sleep.

"You are too heavy for this, _Sublime Beast_." Kakashi told him with a huff, and Gai promptly pulled himself away. Not far, though - only far enough that most of his weight rested at Kakashi's side rather than on top of him.

Gai's arm, still curled around Kakashi's ribs, tightened. "My utmost apologies, my beloved rival." Gai said, too sleepy to give it his usual flair. The lethargic attempt at emphasis was weirdly endearing.

 _Gai_ was weirdly endearing, generally. Kakashi pushed his arm off, but gently. He reached up, fingers sinking into Gai's already mussed hair. He tugged playfully at his handful of silky strands.

Gai rolled fully onto his back, pulling Kakashi along with him, until he was sprawled over Gai's chest in a near reversal of the position that had woken him. Kakashi laughed softly, but settled there willingly enough as Gai wrapped an arm around his waist to squeeze him close.

Then he released his grip, likely having guessed why Kakashi had truly been uneasy before.

Gai might be solid and heavy, but that wasn't new, and Kakashi had always been tough enough to take his weight, hardly finding it a discomfort. Gai snuggling on top of Kakashi wouldn't have woken him unless something else had him uneasy.

Like this, though, Kakashi could calm his mind and rest. Gai proved no obstacle in this position, should Kakashi need to rise to a threat, not now he'd let his arm slide from around Kakashi's waist. Kakashi stretched, nestling comfortably against the pillow of hard muscle Gai made beneath him, letting his head settle on Gai's shoulder.

Gai mumbled something that might have included the words 'eternal', 'rival', or 'love', but was a little too muddled to make out. Kakashi idly stroked his lover's side, extending his senses to be sure of their surroundings - then further, lightly scanning the entire block of apartments.

Nothing in the building was out of place to his senses, and the strongest source of chakra outside himself was the fiery warmth of Gai below him. _That_ was certainly powerful enough to be a threat, but the feeling of that particular energy was soothing, rather than any cause for alarm.

Kakashi pulled back again and let out a soft breath as his chakra went quiet under his skin once more.

"Safe." Gai said on a breathy hum; certainty, not a question.

Kakashi hummed back wordlessly, sliding his fingertips over Gai's shoulder. He shivered under the caress and gave a soft laugh, tipping his head to nuzzle against Kakashi's cheek with sleepy affection.

Kakashi closed his eyes, restored confidence in his environment blending with physical comfort and allowing sleep to return.


End file.
